


Autumn Sweater

by FuelToFire



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Happy Ending, M/M, Oneshot Prompts Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:35:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27279610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuelToFire/pseuds/FuelToFire
Summary: Gabe orders his coffee everyday through the Overwatch Coffee Shop app, Jack sees his picture and is immediately interested. When Gabe finally sees him at the shop, he falls in love like the hopeless romantic he is.These two are in for one hell of an awkward dance. But now Gabe is about to move away from LA, can he get at least one date so he can’t say he never tried?
Relationships: Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34





	Autumn Sweater

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinyfiestyrosiekitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyfiestyrosiekitten/gifts).



> This was an Overwatch prompt by tinyfiestyrosiekitten for the Overwatch Fall Exchange (added a few background details)!
> 
> The prompt was: “Kisses under trees where the fall leafs are dropping.”
> 
> I hope you like it! <3

There’s a particular moment just before the shop opens. A moment that Jack cherishes every single morning, The sun isn’t quite out yet, it’s quiet and calm, the smell of coffee being brewed into deliciousness. It’s a time he gets to compose himself before the shop opens and chaos ensues. As he sips his own coffee mug, he checks the tablet for pickup orders, navigating through the different beverages and different people. 

There’s someone without a profile picture that seems to elude Jack every time he comes into the shop.

_ Gabriel Reyes. _

Jack doesn’t know why he’s taken a particular interest in this man. He always orders the same sugar overload special pumpkin drink they have, even when it’s not the seasonal drink of choice. It is beyond him how someone can drink that every morning, but Jack appreciates the consistency. The shop is always busy and Jack usually manages the orders while Genji and Lúcio operate the counter, and when Jack is making coffee, he is usually focused on every little detail. So, the man eludes him every morning.

Today, however, he sees an upgraded profile picture from the usual standard icon on the app. Jack almost lets the tablet fall out of his hands and barely grabs it before the device hits the ground. He immediately zooms in to see the photo in full detail, at the same time looking around to check if anyone is looking at him. When he deems to be safe and he looks closely at Gabriel Reyes, his heart starts to beat a tad rapidly: the man is gorgeous. The curls on top of his undercut, the deep brown eyes that carry a sparkle of mischief and the smile, oh, the smile. 

“Hey, Jack, can you start on the pickup orders? I’m gonna open for the regular customers now,” Genji says, taking a glance over his shoulder at Jack.

Jack startles and looks up, feeling guilty. “Working on it.”

Recovering quickly, he goes about his routine, mindlessly preparing the beverages he knows by heart now. He is now anxious knowing that Gabriel will show up anytime at the counter. Jack is so nervous that he messes up one or two orders, but finally finishes the Pumpkin Sugary Special just in time. Just in time for Genji to grab the cup and rush to the counter, being flirtatious as ever with the man. Jack has no time to be mad at Genji, instead he just goes on to make the drinks like nothing happened. He’ll deal with this hellspawn of a barista later, fucking Genji and his need to flirt with every attractive customer. And again, Gabriel eludes him.

Now that he has a face for the man that kept eluding him every morning, Jack tries his best to actually deliver the coffee to Gabriel. But fate seems to be very cruel in making Jack busy just at the moment Gabriel comes in every morning. It is unnerving really. Genji seems to realize this and being the competitive brat he is, things only escalate from there. The only thing that makes Jack feel better is that Gabriel seems to have zero interest in Genji, being polite but curt. 

One week, the orders from the app are screwed up by some internal error the developers can’t find a solution for. So the shop becomes busier than usual, a chaotic mess of chatter and a rush for pastries, since the app was responsible for a lot of the organization of the shop. Jack doesn’t have the time to think about Gabriel, he becomes quite preoccupied with the extra tasks given to him. Which is a pity, he was looking forward to at least having a conversation with Gabriel. Maybe get his number. Or give his number written on the cup, that way it would be the other man’s decision to accept the invitation for something else or not. Alas, this week is an impossible week to achieve such a thing.

Jack settles for eating his Irish ice cream in his apartment at night, while watching a rerun of those house renovating shows, grumbling occasionally when he sees his phone light up with Genji messages. Eventually, he picks up his phone and navigates through the wall of messages that Genji sent him. Mostly cat memes and a few invitations to his favorite club, which is  _ not _ Jack’s style at all. Lastly, he mentions Gabe and that picks up his interest,

**Genji (8:34pm):** That Gabe guy, he’s pretty hot. I tried giving him my number, but he looked so uninterested and bored

**Jack (8:36pm):** Losing your touch, I see

**Genji (8:37pm):** I am hot and charming, excuse me

**Jack (8:38pm):** Oh, how dare someone turn you down

**Genji (8:39pm):** 🖕

Jack chuckles, turning off the tv for the night and looking around his apartment. The lights are dim, it’s pretty sparsely decorated and there are still a few boxes laying around from when he moved here, three months ago. He never really felt like settling here as a home. Jack tries not to think about the motives that led him to move here to LA. He eyes the bed with a certain bittersweetness and decides to sleep on the couch, knowing his back will hurt like hell in the morning. Gabriel turned down Genji, so there is still a chance. And it’s a chance he will take it.

_________________________

“Gabriel Reyes, if you don’t wake up this instant, I’m going to throw your rack of spices out the window!”

Gabriel opens one eye, mildly annoyed, mildly amused at Ana. He knows she’s half-serious. He stretches before hopping off bed and yawns, “What part of I’m not doing yoga classes did you not get?”

“It’s good for your health and it gives me a discount if I bring a friend with me.”

“Good, bring Fareeha with you.”

“Get your lazy ass out of this apartment already,” Ana says, exasperated. “You’ve been in this hellhole for weeks!”

“Yeah, well, packing usually takes a lot of time, Ana.”

Ana sits down at his bed and sighs. “I still don’t like the idea of you moving away.”

“They’re giving me the chance that I always dreamed of, Ana. Make my own production, pick my own dancers, a good and healthy budget. I can’t say no to that.”

Gabriel has always dreamed of a job like that and he finally got his golden ticket. It was hard moving out from LA, growing up here and having so many friends, so many good memories. He was going to miss Ana and Fareeha, but the internet would make that distance a little bit shorter. Besides, he could always visit them once or twice a month depending on how busy he would be. 

“And that’s why you owe me a discount on yoga class. Get your ass moving.”

Gabriel surrenders and puts his hands up, getting ready in his workout clothing and picking his phone on the way to the door. He frowns, seeing that the coffee shop app is having issues.

“Ana, we’re gonna have to make a stop at the Overwatch Café, I can’t order my coffee through the app.”

“Gabe, that coffee you say you drink has less than five percent of caffeine in it,” Ana teases.

“Nonsense. It has at least ten,” Gabriel smirks. “Besides, I work out enough to burn through those calories.”

Ana rolls her eyes and motions for Gabriel to follow her already. The shop is just around the corner, so they walk while Ana tells him about this doctor Fareeha has a crush on and apparently, this doctor, Angela, intimidates the hell out of her daughter. Gabriel gets a good laugh out of it, because Fareeha has never been scared of anything in her life. This doc must be a hell of a woman.

The café is as busy as usual, mornings are always like this. He enters the line while Ana sits at a table with her phone in hands, busily typing to someone. He spots the barista that always tries flirting with him and rolls his eyes. That kid is persistent, Gabriel’s gotta admit. But he is just not his type. His eyes wander around, not looking for anything in particular, just appreciating the coziness of the place. He does, however, find something - or rather someone - of interest.

Gabe is stunned. The man is smiling, going about his coffee diligent duties, and he’s wearing this brown sweater that seems to have a pattern underneath the apron. Suddenly, Gabe is taken by the need to know what’s under that autumn sweater, what’s under that too – but that is a thought for another time, because Ana is rushing him to get the order from the counter. Gabriel approaches the said barista and smiles awkwardly. His name tag says Jack.

“Here’s your usual,” Jack delivers the cup and it’s almost like he made sure their hands touched. “Got a sweet tooth, huh?”

“Gabe, we gotta go now!”

“Ah, yes, uh- I gotta go! Thank you, though,” Gabe says and he swears he sees a glint of disappointment in the barista’s eyes. Cursing inwardly about his best friend’s yoga class, he grabs the drink and walks away with a regret that persisted until he was alone in his apartment in the afternoon. For some reason, he kept the cup in his bag after he finished the drink and was about to trash it when he saw some scribbling on the side with a couple of hearts.

**❤️ Jack | 213-247-6969 ❤️**

Did he really give his number on a cup? Is this divine intervention? Gabe doesn’t care and texts the number immediately.

**Gabriel (4:28pm):** Hi, Gabe here from the shop, I gotta say I was surprised you gave me your number

A few minutes go by and Gabe gets a bit nervous, then remembers that Jack is probably working at the shop still and wouldn’t have time to reply. He goes around the apartment, tending to his plants and glancing over his phone hopefully. When the message tone rings, he runs to the phone and picks it up.

**Jack (4:44pm)** : I would’ve given it sooner, but Genji is an asshole

**Gabriel (4:44pm):** Would you now, I’m flattered

**Jack (4:56pm):** You should be, I’m a very picky man

Gabriel assumes Jack is off work now because they keep talking and flirting over text for over two hours, having some good laughs about the weird stories Jack has to tell from the shop and also making sure to keep the conversation going, hinting Gabe is  _ very _ interested. Which leads to Jack saying he has a day off tomorrow and Gabe suggests to go for a walk in the park nearby, since they both live near the café.

**Jack (7:32pm):** A walk in the park?

**Gabriel (7:32pm):** I love how the park looks with the falls and colors, I think it’s a nice date

**Jack (7:34pm):** It’s officially a date now, huh

**Gabriel (7:34pm):** Unless you don’t want it to be

**Jack (7:35pm):** You’re buying me pretzels. 9AM tomorrow, by the bridge?

**Gabriel (7:35pm):** I’ll be there. Good night, Jack

**Jack (7:35pm):** Good night

_________________________

Autumn is one of Gabriel’s favorite seasons. The buoyant yet brazen myriad of hues and shapes, the foliage making a puzzle of the warmest colors like a cozy quilt and the leaves falling in a quizzical pattern, but such is nature. When he arrives at the park, he observes Jack from a distance, recognizing that same brown sweater, an amusing coincidence. As he approaches, Jack gives him a big smile that Gabe could get used to so quickly.

“I thought you would never show up,” says Jack, a bit embarrassed. 

“Lucky you, I had my schedule cleared.”

Jack half-jokingly punches Gabe on the arm, “You’re such an ass.”

“Hey, I work to have this ass, wanna check it out?”

“I already have. Several times at the shop. You’re the one who didn’t notice.”

And the conversation goes on like this, back and forth, teasing each other and getting to know each other as well. Jack talks the most, of how he moved here suddenly, wanting a new and different life from what he had in Indiana.

“I wanted something different and exciting, and that was not inheriting my parents’ farm. Now that I realize, being a barista isn’t all that glamour I was looking for back then.”

“Well, what do  _ you _ want, Jack?”

“What I do  _ want _ now is a pretzel, Gabriel,” he smiles.

Gabriel discovers more about Jack, some trivial things, others not so much. He is left-handed, his favorite color is blue, he doesn’t call his family back home, coming out to his parents was a nightmare - Gabriel got to know Jack better. Jack, in turn, learned a lot of things about him. He was a professional dancer, he liked photography, his only family alive is his sister and she lives in NY. They spent the morning talking like they were old friends rediscovering each other, enjoying each other’s company and a warm pretzel with a cup of coffee.

At some point, they were walking a trail with a lot of trees around, the fall making its presence known by leaves falling ever so slowly out of the branches. Gabriel was enjoying the date they had, but he has had the urge to just grab Jack’s face and kiss him, right there, under the trees. Jack noticed the intense look and stopped for a moment, a quizzical look on his face.

“Do I have something on my face?” He asks, frowning.

Gabriel delicately puts a hand on Jack’s neck, temptatively, asking him _if_ _this is okay_. He feels Jack swallow once, hesitant for a second yet closing in the distance between them. As they parted lips, warmth invaded all of Gabriel’s senses, a subtle tingling sensation spreading over his body. Most first kisses are awkward and just outright messy. And even though Gabriel liked messy, he enjoyed the slow and tender way they discovered each other’s mouths. His fingers trailed leisurely down Jack’s spine, embracing him like any inch of distance between them was unacceptable. Gabriel let out a gasp when he felt Jack’s hand under his cardigan, under his shirt, exploring his abdomen in a way that was almost shameless, for the public place they were.

Reluctantly, he broke the kiss afraid of getting caught making out like teenagers in a park. Jack was breathing hard and his cheeks were flushed, his eyes told Gabe he wanted much more. Like a mutual understanding, Jack says: “My place is just around the corner.”

That afternoon, Gabe discovers what’s underneath that autumn sweater and much more.

_________________________

Gabriel feels guilty. He feels guilty because dating, if that’s what they’ve been doing, is going great. Gabriel is moving away in one week and hasn’t had the heart to tell Jack. And he feels Jack deserves so much better than someone who’s leading him like this, just to move miles away. Jack is an amazing, kind, funny and honestly, the hottest guy he’s ever had a thing with. 

“When are you going to tell him, habibi?” Ana asks casually, reading a magazine on his sofa. “He deserves to know.”

“I… don’t know,” Gabe answers, honestly.

“If you wait until it’s too late, you’re gonna break his heart.”

“Aren’t I going to anyway,” he laughs bitterly. 

“That’s on you, you knew you were moving soon.”

Gabriel doesn’t answer, he continues to pack his books into a cardboard box and pretends it’s not eating him inside. He remembers that Jack’s apartment still had boxes unpacked, like he hasn’t really decided to stay here. When asked about those, Jack made a joke about being too busy to unpack. They always met in Jack’s place for some reason and it wasn’t always about sex - not that the sex wasn’t amazing - they spent time together and Gabriel enjoyed every second of it. Four weeks wasn’t enough time with Jack, he wanted more, he was greedy. He wanted Jack all for himself.

And that greed could lead him to have nothing at all.

_________________________

The  _ talk _ doesn’t go well at all. Jack is angry, and rightfully so, and talks about why they have been doing this thing for weeks now if he was going to leave either way. Then he sits down at bed, laughs mirthlessly, and puts his head between his hands.

“I had a relationship that ended badly back in Indiana. I’ve been sleeping on the couch since I got here because of the  _ memories _ . And you, you created memories that are going to be bad again for me. Did you plan this from the start?”

“No, Jack, I-”

“You know what, I don’t… I don’t wanna discuss this right now. When you do you leave?”

“This Saturday I’m getting a plane to San Francisco. I wasn’t lying when I said you were special to me, Jack. That I deeply care about you.”

Jack sighs and seems to think about it for a few moments. He then gets up the bed - and those sad blue eyes are killing Gabriel - and approaches the other man. Jack grabs Gabe’s neck and pulls him in for a heated and unexpected kiss.

“Let’s make the most out of this week.”

_________________________

Saturday morning should be a happy morning for Gabriel. Instead, he’s staring at an empty apartment, his bags by the door and holding a polaroid picture of Jack and him at the shop. Four weeks. Four weeks was all it took for him to fall for Jack. Life is cruel. Jack said maybe he will show up at the airport,  _ maybe _ . He said he doesn’t like goodbyes. Gabriel, like the hopeless romantic he is, prays that he does show up for a last kiss. 

As he observed the streets of LA through the taxi window, he couldn’t let go of one thought: he didn’t want a last kiss, he wanted a promise of more. He wanted Jack with him. He wanted to discover everything there was to know about the man, every little detail, discover every inch of his body and do unthinkable things to him. He wanted to comfort Jack whenever he was sad, he wanted to know the reason why he left Indiana and why he feels so out of place in LA. 

Gabriel checked in and waited at the gate, patiently, having arrived earlier for a chance to have a few moments with Jack. Disheartened was a weak word for what Gabriel was feeling. Minutes passed and no sign of Jack. He had fifteen minutes to embark and as he held the polaroid, he prayed to whatever god was out there, for Jack to show up. When the airport announcer warned last passengers of flight 2476 to rush to embark, Gabriel’s heart just broke. He turns around and starts walking to the counter, only to be surprised by someone yelling his name.

“Gabe! Wait!” Jack says, a bit breathless and cheeks red as if he’s been running here. “I… don’t go. Please don’t go.”

He puts his arms around Jack’s hips and leans in, touching foreheads and sharing a warm breath. “I can’t stay.”

“I… was finally starting to feel at home in LA here with you, Gabe. Please, please, don’t go.” Jack was visibly upset, trembling a little bit from nervousness.

Gabriel stares into Jack with a spark that wasn’t there before, like he had a sudden and crazy idea. And what a crazy idea it was. “Come with me. Come with me to San Francisco.”

“W-what? That’s insane, Gabe, we met weeks ago!”

“Take a chance with me. Let’s make a home in San Francisco, let’s make it  _ our  _ home.” Gabriel kisses Jack gently, hoping to pour all of his affection into it.

“Last call for flight 2476, embark on gate 7,” the announcer says, almost bored. “I repeat, last call for passengers that should embark on 2476.”

Gabriel can see the body language of Jack changing in seconds to one then another then a third. First, he tries to move away from Gabe - which Gabe gives him the space to do so, but he returns to the embrace again. Second, he looks up at Gabe with a myriad of emotions passing through his eyes like a projector ever so slowly - sadness, disappointment, anger, then… a spark of hope. Third, he buries his face on Gabe’s neck, tightening the embrace just like Gabe did the first time they kissed. A reassurance.

“Wait for me, Gabe,” he says and takes out his necklace with an anchor pendant, putting it around Gabriel’s neck. Gabriel knew the significance of the necklace - it belonged to his mother and on the back, it said  _ you are my anchor in the grimmest of storms _ . “Wait for me.”

“Sir, we’re only waiting for you,” the flight attendant says from the counter, sounding apologetic for interrupting, but she was only doing her job.

“I’ll wait for you, Jack.”

_________________________

**_Two Months Later_ **

Gabriel is proud of his crew, the show is flawless and the reception is more positive than they ever expected.  _ Liberation of Souls _ was packed every night and he’s never been more proud of a job well-done. As a tradition, the whole pack of people who worked on the show stepped up to the stage on the last day of the spectacle, bowing to the crowd. Gabe sees Ana and Fareeha, nodding to them in appreciation for the support of coming all the way to LA to watch his show.

Time stops as he spots one person in the crowd. It’s a blond man, dressed in a suit with a brown sweater underneath, with patterns he came to know very well. He’s clapping enthusiastically and has the most beautiful smile Gabriel has ever seen.

Jack waves shyly.

And given the way his heart skips a beat, Gabriel suddenly knows the anticipation, the wait, was worth it.

Jack is here to stay.


End file.
